Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
This thread includes all posts for 2016 onwards. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread is here. The 2015 thread is here.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
ł 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
ł 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
Old Amex Blue (2016 onwards)[not taking new applications]
#541
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DEN
Posts: 502
Really pointless to throw in something extra and think you can fool them. That made no difference for bonus points clawback they did for Hilton/Marriott/Delta cards back in mid 2020. I think as long as you don't do all 50K in a weekend, Amex doesn't really care. I wouldn't be so sure this card is costing Amex a lot, the overall card portfolio may still be profitable for Amex. The regular people that signed up for this card 15-20 years ago are now approaching middle-age and could be carrying more balances.
#542
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Really pointless to throw in something extra and think you can fool them. That made no difference for bonus points clawback they did for Hilton/Marriott/Delta cards back in mid 2020. I think as long as you don't do all 50K in a weekend, Amex doesn't really care. I wouldn't be so sure this card is costing Amex a lot, the overall card portfolio may still be profitable for Amex. The regular people that signed up for this card 15-20 years ago are now approaching middle-age and could be carrying more balances.
#543
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
thanks for the insights. yeah, no need to buy extra stuff which I proved to myself numerous times. My family signed up for these in 2006. I think. Not sure. One card was closed during the "massacre way back it's been a long time. BUT I still wonder if the number of folks using this card for MS is in the 1000, 100, or 50k??/bet some folks just have it and use it for regular GGD spend. BUT 1 problem, I used 1 OBC at BJ gas last month (at the pump), and only got 1%. Not complaining. also during the dark days of Covid, when my family did not go in person to shop, I had 2200 cash back on 1 OBC, 1300 cash back on card 2, and 1100 cash back on card 3. (95% MS )Via chat, they were able to mail me 3 checks for the cashback
. I used a BCP to shop online during that time period. But, again, thanks for the advice.
. I used a BCP to shop online during that time period. But, again, thanks for the advice.
#544
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 369
I think as long as you don't do all 50K in a weekend, Amex doesn't really care.
I wouldn't be so sure this card is costing Amex a lot, the overall card portfolio may still be profitable for Amex. The regular people that signed up for this card 15-20 years ago are now approaching middle-age and could be carrying more balances.
#545
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 319
thanks for the insights. yeah, no need to buy extra stuff which I proved to myself numerous times. My family signed up for these in 2006. I think. Not sure. One card was closed during the "massacre way back it's been a long time. BUT I still wonder if the number of folks using this card for MS is in the 1000, 100, or 50k??/bet some folks just have it and use it for regular GGD spend. BUT 1 problem, I used 1 OBC at BJ gas last month (at the pump), and only got 1%. Not complaining. also during the dark days of Covid, when my family did not go in person to shop, I had 2200 cash back on 1 OBC, 1300 cash back on card 2, and 1100 cash back on card 3. (95% MS )Via chat, they were able to mail me 3 checks for the cashback
. I used a BCP to shop online during that time period. But, again, thanks for the advice.
. I used a BCP to shop online during that time period. But, again, thanks for the advice.
#548
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 685
I believe most Amex will not give the gas bonus at wholesale clubs and grocery store fuel stations. I’ve used mine at Sam’s, Costco, Kroger and other grocery chains for gas and have always just got 1x or 1% from Amex.
#549
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
thanks for the info. I buy Gulf gas cards in grocery stores with these OBC for 5% off and use them at Gulf for cash price. Do BJ gift cards sold in the BJ stores work for their gas stations? I have a Discover miles card that gives back 3% after the first year. TIA
#550
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 90
[QUOTE=Whittaker;34755843Yep, I remember back when people were trying to do 50K in the first couple months of the year and got shut down. They didn't grasp that doing like 20K or more a month looks to Amex like your attempting to do a lot more on an annualized basis. The velocity could even be triggered by the algorithm[/QUOTE]
i still squeeze 4/5 obc in a week. The last one i did a credit limit transfer from 1 card to another and they wont let me redo it-beware-so 1 card has a $500 limit and it takes forever to get to 56500.
i still squeeze 4/5 obc in a week. The last one i did a credit limit transfer from 1 card to another and they wont let me redo it-beware-so 1 card has a $500 limit and it takes forever to get to 56500.
#551
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
sorry to hear that. That's tough. I do about 4 500vgc every 10 days plus grocery shopping. Ok for 15 years. using 2 family cards and a 3rd will start up in a few months. We must keep good records with payments, charges, etc. I love that they release the CL as soon as a payment is made! been like that from the beginning.
#555
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Hmmmm. I still have mine. Used it with great success before the massacre AND the BB/Serve shutdowns. After that, kept using it with other methods—but they were increasingly time consuming or annoying. Then life changed. A few things happened (family deaths, divorces) and my situation changed. Too much of a pita to use OBC during other issues. Then life changed again, this time for the better. No need or desire to MS any longer-takes too much time from family and travel. But still have the card. Because if life changes again, that option could help. Now I lean on other cards, for daily spend, status boosts, etc. Not much MS nowadays.